conflict
DESCRIPTION
organizational BehaviourTRANSCRIPT
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Conflict and Negotiation
Chapter FIFTEEN
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Conflict
Conflict DefinedA process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about
That point in an ongoing activity when an interaction crosses over to become an interparty conflict
Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people experience in organizations
Incompatibility of goals
Differences over interpretations of facts
Disagreements based on behavioral expectations
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Transitions in Conflict Thought
Causes
Poor communicationLack of opennessFailure to respond to employee needsTraditional View of Conflict
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided
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Transitions in Conflict Thought (contd)
Human Relations View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group
Interactionist View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively
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Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its performance
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that hinders group performance
(Negative)
(Positive)
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Types of Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over content and goals of the work
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets done
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The Conflict Process
E X H I B I T 151
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Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
CommunicationSemantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and noise
StructureSize and specialization of jobs
Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
Member/goal incompatibility
Leadership styles (close or participative)
Reward systems (win-lose)
Dependence/interdependence of groups
Personal VariablesDiffering individual value systems
Personality types
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Stage II: Cognition and Personalization
Conflict Definition
Perceived Conflict
Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to ariseFelt Conflict
Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety, tenseness, frustration, or hostilityPositive Feelings
Negative Emotions
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Stage III: Intentions
Cooperativeness
Attempting to satisfy the other partys concernsAssertiveness
Attempting to satisfy ones own concernsIntentions
Decisions to act in a given way
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Dimensions of Conflict-Handling Intentions
E X H I B I T 15-2
Source: K. Thomas, Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations, in M.D. Dunnette and L.M. Hough (eds.), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd ed., vol. 3 (Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1992), p. 668. With permission.
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Stage III: Intentions (contd)
Competing
A desire to satisfy ones interests, regardless of the impact on the other party to the conflict
Collaborating
A situation in which the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties
Avoiding
The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict
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Stage III: Intentions (contd)
Accommodating
The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponents interests above his or her own
Compromising
A situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up something
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Stage IV: Behavior
Conflict Management
The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve the desired level of conflict
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Conflict-Intensity Continuum
E X H I B I T 153
Source: Based on S.P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional Approach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1974), pp. 9397; and F. Glasi, The Process of Conflict Escalation and the Roles of Third Parties, in G.B.J. Bomers and R. Peterson (eds.), Conflict Management and Industrial Relations (Boston: Kluwer-Nijhoff, 1982), pp. 11940.
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Conflict Management Techniques
Conflict Resolution Techniques
Problem solvingSuperordinate goalsExpansion of resourcesAvoidanceSmoothingCompromiseAuthoritative commandAltering the human variableAltering the structural variablesE X H I B I T 154
Source: Based on S. P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional Approach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1974), pp. 5989
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Conflict Management Techniques
Conflict Resolution Techniques
CommunicationBringing in outsidersRestructuring the organizationAppointing a devils advocateE X H I B I T 154 (contd)
Source: Based on S. P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional Approach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1974), pp. 5989
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Stage V: Outcomes
Functional Outcomes from ConflictIncreased group performance
Improved quality of decisions
Stimulation of creativity and innovation
Encouragement of interest and curiosity
Provision of a medium for problem-solving
Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change
Creating Functional ConflictReward dissent and punish conflict avoiders
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Stage V: Outcomes
Dysfunctional Outcomes from ConflictDevelopment of discontent
Reduced group effectiveness
Retarded communication
Reduced group cohesiveness
Infighting among group members overcomes group goals
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Negotiation
Negotiation
A process in which two or more parties exchange goods or services and attempt to agree on the exchange rate for them.
BATNA
The Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; the lowest acceptable value (outcome) to an individual for a negotiated agreement
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Bargaining Strategies
Integrative Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can create a win-win solution
Distributive Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources; a win-lose situation
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Distributive versus Integrative Bargaining
E XHIBIT 15-5
Bargaining Distributive Integrative
Characteristic Bargaining BargainingGoal Get as much of pie Expand the pie
as possible
MotivationWin-LoseWin-Win
FocusPositionsInterests
InformationLowHigh
Sharing
Duration of Short term Long term
relationships
Source: Based on R. J. Lewicki and J. A. Litterer, Negotiation (Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1985), p. 280.
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Staking Out the Bargaining Zone
E X H I B I T 156
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The Negotiation Process
E X H I B I T 157
BATNA
The Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; the lowest acceptable value (outcome) to an individual for a negotiated agreement
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Issues in Negotiation
The Role of Mood and Personality Traits in NegotiationPositive moods positively affect negotiations
Traits do not appear to have a significantly direct effect on the outcomes of either bargaining or negotiating processes (except extraversion, which is bad for negotiation effectiveness)
Gender Differences in NegotiationsWomen negotiate no differently from men, although men apparently negotiate slightly better outcomes
Men and women with similar power bases use the same negotiating styles
Womens attitudes toward negotiation and their success as negotiators are less favorable than mens
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Why American Managers Might Have Trouble in Cross-Cultural Negotiations
Italians, Germans, and French dont soften up executives with praise before they criticize. Americans do, and to many Europeans this seems manipulative. Israelis, accustomed to fast-paced meetings, have no patience for American small talk.
British executives often complain that their U.S. counterparts chatter too much. Indian executives are used to interrupting one another. When Americans listen without asking for clarification or posing questions, Indians can feel the Americans arent paying attention.
Americans often mix their business and personal lives. They think nothing, for instance, about asking a colleague a question like, How was your weekend? In many cultures such a question is seen as intrusive because business and private lives are totally compartmentalized.
E X H I B I T 158
Source: Adapted from L. Khosla, You Say Tomato, Forbes, May 21, 2001, p. 36.
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Third-Party Negotiations
Mediator
A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives
Arbitrator
A third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an agreement.
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Third-Party Negotiations (contd)
Consultant
An impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through communication and analysis
Conciliator
A trusted third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent
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Conflict
and Unit PerformanceE X H I B I T 159
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Use Competition
When quick, decisive action is vital (in emergencies); on important issues Where unpopular actions need implementing (in cost cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline)On issues vital to the organizations welfareWhen you know youre rightAgainst people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior -
Use Collaboration
To find an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are too important to be compromisedWhen your objective is to learnTo merge insights from people with different perspectivesTo gain commitment by incorporating concerns into a consensusTo work through feelings that have interfered with a relationship -
Use Avoidance
When an issue is trivial, or more important issues are pressingWhen you perceive no chance of satisfying your concernsWhen potential disruption outweighs the benefits of resolutionTo let people cool down and regain perspectiveWhen gathering information supersedes immediate decisionWhen others can resolve the conflict effectivelyWhen issues seem tangential or symptomatic of other issues -
Use Accommodation
When you find youre wrong and to allow a better position to be heardTo learn, and to show your reasonablenessWhen issues are more important to others than to yourself and to satisfy others and maintain cooperationTo build social credits for later issuesTo minimize loss when outmatched and losingWhen harmony and stability are especially importantTo allow employees to develop by learning from mistakes -
Use Compromise
When goals are important but not worth the effort of potential disruption of more assertive approachesWhen opponents with equal power are committed to mutually exclusive goalsTo achieve temporary settlements to complex issuesTo arrive at expedient solutions under time pressureAs a backup when collaboration or competition is unsuccessful -
By standing on the printer, what conflict resolution technique might this man (Tom Alexander) be employing?
Authoritative command
Superordinate goal
Expansion of resources
Compromise
Chapter Check-up: Conflict
By shifting the focus of the meeting to the overall organizational competitiveness being threatened because of the excess strength being built into the printers, he directed the attendees to a superordinate goal of the organization remaining competitive.
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Suppose you are a staunch Democrat and your uncle is a Republican. Every time he sees you, he tries to pick a fight about politics and those stupid liberals. According to this chapter, what conflict handling intention should you use in dealing with him?
Competing
Collaborating
Accommodating
Avoidance
Chapter Check-up: Conflict
Discuss with your neighbor under what circumstances (if any) you should shift to an accommodating intention (when talking with your uncle).
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Discuss the concepts of BATNA and resistance point with your neighbor. What similarities are there between the two? Differences?
Chapter Check-up: Negotiation